Neil Craig Interview from The Advertiser 29/11/05

[Jerome]

I like the comments about Meesan. That should shut the rumour mongers up for a while.


Big tick from Craig
By ANDREW CAPEL
29nov05

ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has given his players a big tick, praising their professionalism and declaring they had never returned to pre-season training in better condition.

As a supremely fit-looking Andrew McLeod joined his team-mates for training for the first time after an extended break following his International Rules commitments, Craig said the squad had returned in better nick than when he masterminded their fitness campaigns in their 1997 and 1998 premiership years.
"I've been involved (at Adelaide) for a reasonable length of time and this is the best (condition) that the total playing group has returned in," Craig said.

"They've been absolutely outstanding (with their off-season conditioning), so it's a big tick for them and they should feel really proud of themselves."

Some players have bulked up, others have trimmed down and nearly all are recording personal best running times.

"And that's with no input from the coaching staff," Craig said. "They were given a (training) program to do (in the off-season) and that's the mentality of the playing group - they've done that themselves and have got that organised over the break. The condition they've presented themselves in is an absolute credit to them."

Pre-season training officially began on Thursday and while Craig understands no premiership points are handed out in November, he said the way the players had presented themselves "says something about their mentality".

The club's four new draftees - Richard Douglas, Darren Pfeiffer, Bernie Vince and Alan Obst - were all at training yesterday, just two days after being drafted.

In other news, Craig:

CLAIMED the Crows had "no hesitation whatsoever" taking an interstate player - Victorian Douglas - with their first draft selection, despite losing Kane Johnson, Tyson Stenglein and Fergus Watts to the go-home factor in the past three years.

"Our biggest challenge is to do it better from our end - to create an environment where if a player thinks about leaving he knows he is leaving a lot behind," Craig said.

TALKED up second-year ruckman/forward John Meesen's training. "In the two (main) sessions we have had, John has been absolutely outstanding - and I'm talking AFL standard."

EMBRACED the AFL rule changes which have been brought in to speed up the game and make it cleaner. These include limiting the time for players to line up for set shots to 30 seconds, removing the requirement of players having to wait for goal umpires to wave their flags before kicking in following a behind and clamping down on tagging infringements and holding and blocking in marking contests. "I think the changes are reasonable," Craig said.

CLAIMED the players would decide if there was to be any changes to the team's eight-man leadership brigade, which will again be headed by captain Mark Ricciuto.

[- PC -]

Thanks Jerome . Interesting his comments about the fitness levels. Looks like the boys understand time may be running out.

I hope someone asks if he will introduce a mentoring program to speed up the development of the midfielders that have been drafted in the last 2 years

[No 1 Draft Pick]

[QUOTE=Jerome]I like the comments about Meesan. That should shut the rumour mongers up for a while.

The AFC will be absolutely DESPARATE not to lose Meeson at the end of this year. Already boasting probably the least enviable recent retention rate for interstate draftees of any club (despite being one of the comps BIG clubs) I think they will move heaven and earth to keep the boy here. Otherwise, think of the scenario:

Watts our 1st rounder quits after the minimum 2 yr contract in 2005
Meeson our 1st rounder quits after the minimum 2 yr contract in 2006

From memory, this has never happened to any other club in AFL history. Why should it happen to our club - a big, well resourced professional one?

If it means giving more money than warranted or more opportunites to Meeson in 2006 I think we will do it

[Markthirtytwo]

Thanks Jerome . Interesting his comments about the fitness levels. Looks like the boys understand time may be running out.

I hope someone asks if he will introduce a mentoring program to speed up the development of the midfielders that have been drafted in the last 2 years


PC they have been doing that for a year or so. Roo takes some of the young ones up onto his houseboat for some R & R during the year.
One of the leadership group gets a young player to mentor during the year.
I believe he will continue this while he is at the club.

Young Ffeiffer was chuffed to receive a call from the captain not long after being drafted so you can be assured they will get that welcome to the AFC boys. ;)

[AdelaideFan]

Meeson needs to be given an oppurtunity this year for sure. If he is not given a chance to prove himself I feel he will be more likely to move on.

Does anyone feel there is any truth in saying that Neil left Fergus out of games last year due to the realization that Fergus was going to leave at the end of the year??

[Crow-mosone]

Does anyone feel there is any truth in saying that Neil left Fergus out of games last year due to the realization that Fergus was going to leave at the end of the year??

why?

playing him would boost his trade value

[johnnypanther]

FWIW despite Maric's rapid development last season, I still think that Meesen is and will be the better footballer

Hopefully, we will have 2 classy ruckmen in those 2 running around for the next 10 years

and then there is still Jon Griffin - perhaps a HFF? similar to Josh Fraser at Collingwood

[AdelaideFan]

why?

playing him would boost his trade value

But why would you bother playing him if he is just going to walk away. Give him some experience that another club will benefit from. If you knew he was heading home and more than likely he is going to nominate a club or go in the draft. Why boost his trade value give him experience that another club will benefit from????? Writing was on the wall early last season i reckon there were countless oppurtunities to give him a run and neil didnt bother.

[GoSarge]

Good news re Meesan. Will look forward to his progress in the pre season and beyond.

[SpringChoke]

I can see both sides of the argument. Firstly, from the clubs point of view, you don't gift players games in the hope that it will prevent the player going home. However, on the other hand from the players point of view, your not going to hand around forever if you feel you haven't been given a descent opportunity. Let's be honest, in the Watts case, he should have played a few afl games this year, especially in the seond half of the year.

IMO we are at times too conservative with playing youngsters. The general consesus from a few of the "VIC" experts is that players such as Mattner, Trent H, Rutten, Bock etc should have been given a chance to settle in the side alot earlier than they were given.

[Truck Rutten]

CLAIMED the players would decide if there was to be any changes to the team's eight-man leadership brigade, which will again be headed by captain Mark Ricciuto.

I'd love to see Thommo as part of it next year.

[Kane McGoodwin]

Good news re Meesan. Will look forward to his progress in the pre season and beyond.
The comments about Meesen are most pleasing. He would know along with Maric that there is going to be an opportunity there at some stage this year with Huddo's LT injury.

[Stiffy_18]

I'd love to see Thommo as part of it next year.
So would I and I think he is a fair chance.

[Crow-mosone]

Why boost his trade value give him experience that another club will benefit from?????

I presume you didn't think about this very much.

[AdelaideFan]

I presume you didn't think about this very much.

Yes?? My point is if a player has made it clear that his intentions are to not be playing for the club the following year why would you bother playing him? You would be happy to throw someone in that frame of mind onto the ground for your club? I dont see the point in playing him when he is going to move away from the club the following year. To boost his trade value??? What a croc, fergus watts was always going to kick up and say I want to go to St Kilda where my daddy is. We were never in a position to get anything more than what we did. Even if he had played a handful of games this year would have made no difference at all and would have left someone out of our side who could potentially be around for a long time and gain experience from playing that game. Who would you play someone you feel (or know) is going to walk out on the club at the end of the season so he can prove to other clubs he is worth trading for. Or would you play someone you feel will be around the club the following year and many after???

[Crow-mosone]

Yes?? My point is if a player has made it clear that his intentions are to not be playing for the club the following year why would you bother playing him? You would be happy to throw someone in that frame of mind onto the ground for your club? I dont see the point in playing him when he is going to move away from the club the following year. To boost his trade value??? What a croc, fergus watts was always going to kick up and say I want to go to St Kilda where my daddy is. We were never in a position to get anything more than what we did. Even if he had played a handful of games this year would have made no difference at all and would have left someone out of our side who could potentially be around for a long time and gain experience from playing that game. Who would you play someone you feel (or know) is going to walk out on the club at the end of the season so he can prove to other clubs he is worth trading for. Or would you play someone you feel will be around the club the following year and many after???

um, I am staggered. honestly.

the reverse is true, usually a side will play a guy, when he doesn't deserve it purely to boost his trade value. showcasing a player before trading him is the oldest trick in the book, in every sport, anywhere, that requires trading of players.
We didn't do that, not saying we should have, but equally not playing him is hardly a ploy to reduce his development for another team.

that's crazy talk. makes no sense at all, and does not happen.

deeply implied in your thinking is the idea that NC and his selection policy is influenced either way by the contractual status of a player. Not only do I not accept this, we have seen nothing to suggest this might be even remotely true. and that's IF we accept that it was well known that Ferg was leaving mid season, which is very far from an accepted fact. The club was trying to keep him until the last.

[outback jack]

playing watts for the last half of last yr wouldnt of boosted his value, as he would of struggled anyway. It was a no win situation.

[SpringChoke]

So would I and I think he is a fair chance.

So would I. If you can get Stiffy away from the Burgoynes influence, I would like to see him in there too.

[Truck Rutten]

So would I and I think he is a fair chance.

Let's say the club agrees with us. Out of the existing leadership group, who should make way for Thommo?

[Bockchoy67]

Let's say the club agrees with us. Out of the existing leadership group, who should make way for Thommo?

Do they have to replace someone?:confused:

[Truck Rutten]

Do they have to replace someone?:confused:

Haven't we got 8 in the leadership group already? Isn't that more than enough?

[Stiffy_18]

Let's say the club agrees with us. Out of the existing leadership group, who should make way for Thommo?
Its not up to the club though.

Leadership group is voted by the players, not the coaches.

[Truck Rutten]

Its not up to the club though.

Leadership group is voted by the players, not the coaches.

The coaching staff have no say in it at all? I find that quite strange.